Rte. 35 tunnel idea worth digging into

No one can accuse Eatontown resident Theresa Irwin of thinking small.

At a meeting of the borough Planning Board to pass judgment on a downtown redevelopment plan, Irwin stood up and suggested putting Route 35 underground as it passes through that part of the borough.

Whether spontaneous or not, Irwin’s suggestion drew applause from the audience. And while the idea may seem farfetched, undoubtedly worse proposals have made their way into community renewal plans.

In truth, a much larger-scale version of Irwin’s idea is nearing completion in Boston.

That project, known as the Big Dig, has gone on for more than two decades and cost billions.

By comparison, Eaton-town’s tunnel would be a cakewalk, even with comparably outrageous time and cost overruns.

The question is, are Eatontown’s leaders bold enough to support it?

As ridiculous as it sounds at first blush, a tunnel may be the only way to restore the small-town feel to the borough’s business district.

In addition to making the borough’s downtown more pedestrian friendly, such a plan would probably create a bit more space.

It also would open much greater redevelopment possibilities.

On the downside, such a project would take years to complete, and at the moment there is certainly no guarantee of outside support, an absolute necessity if the plan is to have any chance of success.

At this point, borough officials should at least raise the issue with state and federal representatives from the area; after all, you can never be sure if something is or isn’t available if you don’t ask.

There is no getting around the fact that putting part of Route 35 underground is a crazy idea, but it just might be crazy enough to work.